| Both the Sierra Club and the Piedmont Environmental Council have notified numerous people that AEP and Allegheny Power intend to file their application for the Potomac-Appalachian Transmission Highline this Friday, May 15.
Once notification of the application is declared in newspaper ads - I do not know what the requirements are for the number or location of newspapers, frequency (or if it's just once) - individuals, businesses, and any other affected entities have 15 days to file to be an intervenor in the application process.
The Calhoun Power Line blog (http://calhounpowerline.wordpress.com/) has a number of comprehensive entries regarding the PSC process and being an intervenor. If you live in any of the 17 counties PATH will run through, you can apply to be an intervenor. (Personally I think anyone in West Virginia has standing, since every ratepayer in the state will be paying for this.)
The PSC's toll-free number is 800-344-5113; you can call and ask questions.
There will be numerous meetings in the affected counties over the next few weeks to work out ways to respond.
The issue of these high-voltage transmission lines has been elevated on the national stage. Ten governors of Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic states (VT, NH, MA, RI, CT, NY, NJ, DE, MD and VA) just sent a letter to the congressional leadership asking that the entire planning process for transmission be restructured, to include more objective analysis of need, more inclusive incorporation of renewable sources, and priorities given to local generation making use of renewables, especially on- and offshore wind power.
And 35 national and regional environmental and conservation organizations (including the Sierra Club and Natural Resources Defense Fund) jointly sent a letter to the EPA, then to senators asking that energy legislation place far greater emphasis on developing renewable sources.
This project is going to be the first test of the state and federal governments' policies during the Obama Administration. I would like to believe that the hope and excitement I felt when he was elected - that there will be a responsive government that addresses its citizens' concerns and priorities - will be justified. Even if it takes years.
Update: This morning I spoke with John Auville, a staff attorney with the Public Service Commission, about how much time intervenors will have to file. He said, and this is a quote:
You're certainly going to have more than 15 days to file to intervene...
Oct 14 is proposed last day to intervene if filing is May 15. My guess is they'll file a proposed procedural schedule when or shortly after their filing; then [it's]ordered by the PSC. Anybody who's a party can make a comment on [the proposed schedule]. I'm pretty sure that when they file on Friday, if they do file on Friday, that proposed schedule may be in there.
I emailed Auville and asked him to confirm the accuracy of my transcription of his comments. He replied by email:
I would say that is a correct representation of our conversation, especially the part about having more than 15 days to file for intervenor status. |
